


A Perennial Tale

by Of_Princes_and_Savages



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology, Original Work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2018-12-20 03:44:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11912514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Of_Princes_and_Savages/pseuds/Of_Princes_and_Savages
Summary: Hades and Persephone weren't spoken about much after the shock of their initial...courtship. It seemed to be a relatively straightforward tale. which they always found laughable as there was little about the Goddess of Spring and Lord of the Dead building a marriage that was straightforward.





	1. In Which A Bargain Is Made

"THAT MISERABLE BASTARD! THE SLIMEY WORM! HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE CHILD-STEALING, CRADLE-ROBBING, LYING, ROTTING-"

"Mother, _please_." Persephone's face was burning as red as the stains still on her gown. She'd tried wiping her hands on it before leaving the Underworld when Hermes arrived.

She'd been happy to see Mother again. She had dashed ahead of Hermes to jump into her mother's open arms in fact. But then Hermes brought up the issue of the pomegranate seeds...

Poor Hermes, he seemed to regret being the messenger god now.

Gods and goddesses had been filling the hall as soon as Mother arrived shouting for an audience with Zeus, pulling along Persephone by the hand. Hermes had followed then with an ashen, frightened look that looked out of place on his boyish face, his dark curls windblown and cap nearly flying off his head at the speed it took to keep up with Mother's dragon-pulled chariot. Persephone had never been subjected to this much attention before, she wanted to sink into the marble tiles in the throne room and hide somewhere she couldn't hear her mother shrieking or the quieter voices all whispering to figure out what happened.

"QUIET!" Zeus finally bellowed, blue eyes flashing as the sky went black outside the windows. "SILENCE DEMETER!"

"What Lord Zeus means," Hera said primly, a fair-skinned woman with soft mahogany hair woven with peacock feathers that suited her royal blue robes, her eyes the same kind hazel as Mother's. "Is that we cannot help you if we cannot understand you, please, slow down and tell us what this is about."

Hera had been indifferent to Persephone throughout her life. As the daughter of Zeus by another woman, it was a bit understandable. Compared to some, Persephone had gotten off quite lightly in being ignored. Still, Hera was not merciless. She was kinder to her sisters than most fellow goddesses, as she respected Hestia's domain in the home and Mother's maternal nature in blessing the crops of mortal men, which was perhaps exactly why Persephone had been spared. Regardless, Hera would be the voice of reason here...hopefully.

Mother's hair was like fresh wheat and her skin a golden tan from exposure to the sun in her fields. Right now, though, Mother's hair was striped with grey and white, and worry lines crinkled her lovely face, and oh, Persephone felt guilty for worrying her so. The lines smoothed somewhat now that someone was listening, but her fearful grip on Persephone's arm remained as she cried out; "My daughter was missing these past few months all because our wretched brother kidnapped her!"

Hera frowned, displeased, and looked across the hall at Poseidon. He and Zeus were identical, to Persephone, and Mother kept her safely away from both. Her uncle, she thought, was a bit darker-skinned than Zeus, his eyes were green like the sea and he had shorter dark hair. But both were equally famous for their philandering ways.

"Poseidon. Explain." Hera demanded.

Looked at the other eyes turning towards him with confusion, the King of the Sea shifted his trident in his grip so he could hold up a placating hand. "Oh no, not me. I didn't do it."

"Despite his _unsavory_ record," Mother growled, glaring at Poseidon, "he didn't do anything. It was Hades."

Soft laughter rippled through the assembly, as if the idea was too absurd to contemplate. Persephone would have laughed months ago as well. She often forgot about Hades before, her life was lived in sunlight meadows, no place for the dead and dark. Queen Hera's rising eyebrows made Persephone think she was just as disbelieving, but Zeus said nothing.

"Hades?" Hera repeated. "The king of the Underworld, the dead, and...Hades?"

"I did."

In the gleaming halls of Olympus, all the gods glowed with life. Except for one who was rarely welcome save the solstices, the way he brought in shadows rather than light seemed to show why. The shadow stretching behind him was dark on the glossy floors, the flames in the braziers flickering when he passed as the air grew cold. Or was that just a chill Persephone felt herself? Her heart skipped a beat at Hades' steady, unhurried entrance, his sandals on the floor the only sound in the throne room as he tread along, everyone gawking at him.

He'd actually come after her. Mother drew her closer to her side, eyes flashing with the protective rage of a mother bear.

"Hades..." Hera spoke slowly, at a loss for words. "Brother. So. Is this...true, then? You've taken Persephone from her mother?"

"As my bride, yes." Hades answered formally, standing straight as a rod. "I have her father's blessing."

Hera gave Zeus a look almost as chilly as the barren earth below them. "I see..."

"That doesn't count!" Mother wailed. "He didn't even consult me in the matter! King of the Gods or no, how could you go behind my back like that when I raised my girl alone!Besides, there wasn't even an exchange of dowry, and that's hardly a binding marriage, is it Hera?"

"Well...this is a bit unusual. I _would_ say no, I suppose it isn't in such a case. Has the union ever been consummated, Persephone?"

Persephone shut her eyes tight, wishing she couldn't feel everyone else's gaze on her. It was _now_ the most embarrassing day of her life. Hades hadn't touched her, he'd been as close to a gentleman as one could except from the King of the Dead, but voicing that aloud in front of her mother, the king and queen of the universe, her supposed defiler, and every other god who had the chance to gawk made her tongue thick in her dry mouth. She shook her head, keeping her eyes shut.

When she peeked them open, she saw Zeus shifting uncomfortably on his throne. Persephone didn't spend much time with her father, she was not a favorite of daughter of his, like Athena. All she seemed to inherit from him was light reddish-brown skin like polished copper. He was tall and strong with flashing blue eyes and hair as dark as storm clouds, where she was small and delicate with curling auburn hair she'd braided through with flowers. (Her hair was void of flowers at the moment, they weren't to be found in the Underworld.) At the moment, she couldn't be more pleased to look like her own person rather than either of her parents.

"Then with neither a dowry, nor consummation, the marriage is annulled." Zeus decreed, with an air of finality.

Hades stood quietly, a grim figure in the hall while Mother gave a happy cry and hugged Persephone tight. "Oh my darling girl! We will never be parted again!"

Hermes, trembling all over, but a brave messenger all the same, he broke the news: "I-it's not so simple as that, Lord Zeus!" he squeaked. "The m-marriage may be annulled, by your decree, b-b-but, well, you see, P-Perseph-"

"Persephone has tasted the food of the dead." Hades said plainly. "She belongs to my realm."

The assembly gasped as one, and then burst into a cacophony of speculation, but Mother still clung to Persephone. Even Zeus seemed stunned by this turn of events, finally noticing Persephone's stained fingers. "That...does complicate matters, doesn't it?"

"If you send her back, I will never bless the earth again!" Mother threatened, and Persephone squirmed out of her grip at last.

"Two can play that game, Demeter," Hades warned, his voice rising. "If you dare try to play high-handed with me, Demeter, I will open the Underworld and set the creatures from _the very depths of Tartarus free on your barren earth!"_

The voices were silenced in fear. Persephone never realized until then that the true reason Hades was unwelcomed was because he had a kingdom that only grew larger and stronger with each passing day, and that even the immortal feared the dead. But his promise, and Mother's, were hollow in their own way. Without food, mankind would perish. With the dead walking the earth, chaos would reign. There would be no living in a short while. And what would happen when the gods were alone in the universe without a realm to oversee?

"P-please! Please!" Persephone stumbled unsteadily towards Zeus's throne, falling on her knees. "S-surely, Father, surely there's a compromise! Something!"

Hera pursed her lips thoughtfully. "A compromise...now that's an idea. How many pomegranates did you consume, child?"

"I only ate a few seeds."

"Ah." Zeus steepled his fingers. "Now we're getting somewhere. How many seeds did you eat?"

"I don't remember...six or seven?" They were tiny kernels, she'd picked them out slippery with blood-red juice one by one from the waxy pith.

Zeus stood up, raising his hand as he made his decree. "From this day forwards, Persephone shall spend six months here on earth with her mother. Then she will spend six months in the Underworld as the wife of Hades. Demeter, brother, will you swear to this even trade on the River Styx?"

"I swear on the Styx." Hades scowled. He was grim and dark and all things a goddess of spring should fear, but Persephone had observed him to be fair and just as well. He would keep to his word.

Mother frowned, going over to hold Persephone's shoulders where she still knelt on the floor. "I will consent only if mu turn is first. You've kept her from me for too long already, and I can't bless the earth if I'm worrying for my daughter's safety."

"Fine!" Hades snapped, his shadow looming larger. "Every second you waste not swearing on that hateful river is another second the dead are crowding it!"

Mother shrank, muttering her oath, and the deal was done. Persephone hadn't needed to say a word. Hades gave her a polite nod where she sat on the floor in shock, and she wasn't sure if he said anything or if he just left. Mother was bustling her into their rooms on Olympus, her old nymph attendants crowding her with coos of sympathy and concern, indignant outrage over her new living situation, as they all fussed over her like a child. She'd been bathed, dressed in a pale pink gown that bared her arms, and her hair was being braided with violets before she knew it, as if she hadn't spent a day in the Underworld aside from her faded freckles.

It didn't occur to her until that moment that she could have had a say in who she went with first...and she wasn't sure how to feel about that, either.

* * *

Mother had blessed the land with warm, fertile ground again. Crops flourished, the people no longer went hungry, animals returned. Persephone had brought the flowers back with her, but her interest in carpeting the ground in fragrant, colorful blossoms bad long waned. It was her final days of allotted time with Mother, and the earth was starting to show it

Persephone had never spent much time with other goddesses. She had played with the nymphs and naiads that still attended her, tripping through the woods and meadows as carefree as a songbird. The only one she ever bumped into before was Artemis, who cared not for marriage or men and ran as wild as the deer she favored hunting. Apollo had once tried courting Persephone, but he barely got past smiling and saying hello to her before mother shooed him away. Same as Hermes, who had gotten just a but further and amazed her with a coin trick before Mother refused her permission.

(No wonder Hades had skipped over her and gone straight to Zeus...)

The past six months, several goddesses had sought out Persephone. Some just wanted to stare at the girl that would be Queen of the Underworld. Others asked embarrassing questions about their marriage, and offered yet _more_ embarrassing advice when Persephone said they weren't properly wed yet. Mother never chased goddesses away, so there was no escaping them, but her stern looks kept the embarrassing questions at bay.

Some were kind though.

Athena had applauded Persephone's courage in suggesting a compromise, ("I'm ashamed I didn't think of it first, that was brilliant," she praised, petting the head of a downy owlet that she'd taken on as a pet after Persephone found it abandoned in a nest,) and offered to teach her weaving if she'd like. It had seemed more like begging than courage, but Persephone did learn some crafts to occupy her hands. She'd dearly missed weaving flowers into chains down there.

Then there was Artemis, who though scornful of love herself, had no dislike of married women per se. Persephone was already acquainted with her half-sister, they'd crossed paths in the forests and meadows and now spoke often about flora and fauna as it returned to the lands. Artemis' nymphs were hardier than Persephone's attendants, a bit more interesting to talk to since they didn't treat her like a child. (Had they always been so...stifling?) One tried teaching Persephone how to shoot a bow, but they called it a day when an arrow managed to bounce off the target and into a dryad's trunk some ten feet away.

Mother left her with Hera once Athena had the clever idea to teach the mortals to harvest food for the barren months, and the Queen of the Sky attempted to teach Persephone how to manage a kingdom and a marriage to a king. Her help was kind, but marked by bitterness about male gods and their faithless, ungrateful attitude towards marriage that made Persephone nervous.

Would Hades treat her so poorly? Would he constantly neglect her like Zeus did to Hera? Would he leave her at home as one might a loyal pet as Poseidon did to Amphitrite? Would he not make a proper wife of her at all and merely bed her the way gods were notorious for? Would he not keep his promise to return her when her time was up?

Mother was certainly reluctant to uphold her end of the bargain. The leaves were browning as she walked to the Underworld entrance with Persephone, Hermes going along as her guide. Mother had strong-armed a promise out of him to carry letters to Persephone as he was constantly seeing souls to the Underworld, and Persephone politely thanked him for it since her mother was too distracted for manners. She had invited Mother to visit, but doubted she would as she endured a serious of suggestions to _stay a bit longer, just a day or two more, it wouldn't hurt a thing._

Hermes squirmed nervously, disagreeing without a word. Persephone agreed with his assessment. It was time to go.

"Mother, I _must_ go. Six months shouldn't pass too slowly for gods," she smiled, squeezing her mother's hands. "I'll be back soon enough."

"Oh...I know, I know..." Mother fretted. "But remember, you made no promises on the River Styx. If Hades mistreats you, I want you to know you can always come home to me."

Persephone held in a sigh. Her mother wasn't helping her fears at all. "I know Mother, goodbye."

"Goodbye my darling girl."

Two more hugs and three more cautionary warnings later, Hermes dragged Persephone away. She was quite grateful for it, actually, she wasn't sure how to break away from her mother without hurting her.

The Underworld smelled like freshly dug earth, but colder the further you went. The River Styx flowed slowly, wispy spirits shuffling along the bank, some fearfully clutching their coins for passage against the unlucky souls without a proper burial. The kind, wealthier souls discreetly dispensed a few of the extra coins to the unlucky ones so they needn't wait a century on the bank. Charon stood at his boat, tucking his fare into his coin purse and scowling at the frauds and at unpaid souls.

Persephone needn't pay to cross, she was the Queen.


	2. In Which There Are Brides, And They Are Forgotten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a note at the end in case anyone is unfamiliar with the Danaids/wants a full list of their names. Also! Sorry about the delay! 'XD
> 
> I have no idea when the next chapter will come out, but, I'm getting back into writing after a lengthy absence. Things are returning from the ungodly hours of Christmas at my new job, my hands feel better, and my muse is sloooowly returning from the war on some fics. Not all of course, because that's not how this words. Pffft.
> 
> Have a Happy New Year in case I don't post something between then and now! :D

Hermes had given her a satchel before he whisked away for the sunlit world Persephone wouldn't see for another six months. As Hades had given her a set of rooms in his granite palace, with clothes and necessities of that nature, she'd brought nothing but the things she was wearing. She was glad for the unexpected gift all the same, it gave her something to occupy herself with as the ferry glided along the River Styx.

The freshly deceased were staring, their voices a dry whispery sound more akin to a brush of silk on stone than a noise a person should make. But then...were they even people anymore? She had avoided the barren field most souls wound up shuffling around in for all eternity, frightened by the same chittering nonsense and sightless eyes looking through her.

She supposed, as their newly appointed queen, she owed it to them to understand what they were, so she could better manage them...or whatever it was her duties would be here. But first, the satchel.

Inside the plain bag was a stack of parchments, which Persephone supposed was from Mother so that she might write back. The second item was a wedding veil, which reminded her that she was a bride. Officially. Hera had mentioned she was sending someone to _officially_ wed them as King and Queen of the Underworld. Being a goddess of marriage she had that sort of power, Persephone supposed.

The veil had to have been from Hera herself. It was finely woven, though not quite as fine as Athena's handiwork, made with gauzy material that had a silvery sheen, like it was sprinkled with dew. It was very pretty, set with pearls and golden embroidery along the edges, but Persephone stuffed it back in the bag and tried to pretend she hadn't seen it at all. She went around it, poking through the rest of her gifts. Colorful thread for weaving, (that was definitely Athena's,) a pot of wild honey, a perfumed oil-

"Your Majesty." Charon rumbled.

Persephone bolted upright, her heart thudding against her ribs. "Y-yes?"

Charon snickered, gliding his pole through the murky water. Persephone didn't know him any better than the wraiths around her, but she gathered he was an unpleasant soul. Literal or not. He wore a black hooded robe, tattered, the ends of a wiry white beard creeping out while his face was hidden by shadows. His hands were gnarled, his skin gray and papery, the nails yellowed as he pointed ahead on the bank.

"Your guide is here."

"My guide?" Persephone repeated, looking where he directed. She was under the impression that Hades would greet her...take her back...or whatever he saw this exchange as, but he was nowhere to be seen. Just a tall woman with pale skin and a silky black robe, holding two torches as though guiding the ferry towards the right pier. Although it was the only pier on the River Styx, as far as Persephone knew.

Due to Mother's protectiveness, Persephone didn't know a lot of male gods by sight. She knew most of the goddesses, except for a handful Mother deemed unfit company for a maiden, but not _all_ of them...she had no idea who this goddess was, for example. And she felt sure she'd remember if they'd met before.

As the ferry glided to a halt, Persephone could see that this goddess was tall and willowy, with shiny black curls pinned back, and eyes like mercury, solid silvery pools that danced in the light of her torches. Her eyes were rimmed by thick khol and strange black symbols were painted up and down her bare arms, and a pouch and dagger hung from her belt. Her feet were bare, Persephone noticed as the goddess vanished one of her torches in order to help her up onto the docks. (The spirits in the boat seemed to float up and away...how peculiar.) She was also taller than Persephone was, about the same height as Athena, so that she was eye-level with the stranger's chin when she spoke in a dreamy voice:

"Welcome back. I don't believe we met before, your mother was preoccupied."

An inexplicable wave of butterflies reared up in Persephone's belly. "You know Mother?" She struggled not to sound annoyed, or worse, terrified, and she wasn't entirely sure she'd succeeded. The one and only thing, the only thing, that she'd been looking forward to in the Underworld was a bit of solitude. Particularly from guardian nymphs that she had to practically lock out of her rooms on Mount Olympus in order to sleep because they hadn't wanted her to be alone for a single moment! If Mother had sent someone to chaperone her down here, then Persephone would-She'd have to-

Well she didn't know what she'd do, but she _wouldn't_ stand for it.

The goddess only smiled, linking arms with Persephone and leading her down the dock. "I hold the distinction of the only goddess to help search for you during, er, your absence. When I heard what happened, and about the deal, I decided to move down here and watch what happened next."

Persephone looked around them. Here near the Styx, it was even colder than usual. Pale gray rocks covered the shore, some paler and looking oddly bone-like that Persephone tried to ignore, and where the gravel ended, hard-packed black earth began. It could have been good for planting, if it weren't the land of the dead, with souls drifting towards the gates that she hadn't visited before. (Truthfully, she hadn't left the palace grounds for fear of becoming lost, and hadn't paid attention when Hermes was taking her back to Mother.) The air was damp and earthy, musty, and there were strange sounds too far away to analyze that sounded...creepy.

"Why would you want to live here?"

"Because, dear Queen," the goddess beamed. "I am Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft."

Oh.

Hecate continued walking, nodding towards a large, heavy dog in the distance. "Hades is tied up at the moment,, notice how crowded it is there in line? I decided to give you a tour since, if you'll pardon my forwardness, I doubt you were interested in one before." Well...she wasn't wrong. "This is as good a time to start as any. Come. Let's meet your new pet."

"My pet?" Persephone repeated, barely paying the dog any mind as it bounded closer...and closer...until she realized it wasn't that close yet, actually, it was just very big. With many sharp white teeth, glowing red eyes...six of them...and a massive misshapen head. No. _Three_ heads.

The shriek she gave was perfectly understandable in that light.

* * *

The job of death god was, by nature, a grim and gruesome one. Therefore, Thanatos sought out little joys and distractions wherever he could find them, from day to day.

A particular favorite was watching family bicker over inheritance while a man lay on his deathbed, and Thanatos tried to memorize these relatives to see if they ended up in the Fields of Punishment someday. Then there was the humor of terrible fatal accidents. It was never _not_ funny seeing a human get kicked in the head by a horse, though drunkenly trying to kiss a poisonous snake was truly a treat. Today was turning out to be rather interesting and new, though.

Forty-nine young men appeared, murdered in their beds overnight. Thanatos had found most murders terribly dull, they were either spur of the moment or over something stupid like money or an unfaithful lover. But this was such a complicated matter that the judges had to call in Lord Hades to sort things out.

But, Thanatos had more souls to collect today, he couldn't just sit around waiting for the final verdict.

It occurred to him, though, as he was gathering up the Underworld's newest residents that something was interesting in the mortal world, too. The air was cooler. And the leaves were beginning to yellow on all of the trees. Those strange gardens that the humans had started planting this year were being cut down, (he might come back to watch some horrible accidents later,) and suddenly he was reminded of the new plans Demeter had drafted at the last summit.

There were two summits at Mount Olympus each year, a day when all the gods gathered and discussed business. The mortals called these "solstices" because of the lengthy day and night, (respectively,) caused by the cautious attendants driving Helios and Selene's chariots while they were on Mt. Olympus.

Some would mostly say their piece, then grab wine and a nymph and make it a party. Others, Lord Hades especially, came strictly for the business. It was the only two times of year that the Underworld gods were technically welcomed above ground, and they never stayed long. As repulsive as the beautiful gods thought the Underworld residents were, Thanatos himself thought the Olympians were a lot of self-important children quarreling with each other. Demeter was usually very level headed, except where that daughter of hers was concerned. She had killed a third as many people as the Titan War had centuries ago, and as sore as she was about having to share her child's time, she had drawn up a thoughtful plan to ease the mortals through the next six months that included those gardens.

Actually, they might be called fields. Thanatos tended to think of fields as the Fields of Punishment, or like that barren wasteland average souls shambled around in circles. Fields as a good thing was odd to him. Oh well.

But if the humans had harvested these _fields_ , that meant that Lady Persephone was coming to the Underworld today! How had he possibly forgotten that? Oh dear. What if Lord Hades had forgotten as well?

Thanatos hurried the souls along to the entrance of the Underworld. Souls could fly anywhere except across running water, (if they knew they were dead, some ended up shuffling around until Hermes pointed them the right way,) as could Thanatos, so they all made excellent time before he deposited them on the bank of the Styx and flew over the river. (Charon did despise him so for being born with these wings, not having to depend on the greedy old ghoul's creaky boat to get him back and forth.) He fully intended to fly straight to the palace to remind his king that his queen was returning, and that Hera had demanded a wedding to make everything legal.

Lord Hades wasn't forgetful, but he could be distracted, especially by the throng of dead still being processed by the judges. But he stopped in mid-air, hovering almost directly overhead, looking down at the most amusing scene he'd seen outside the gates since Charon offended the goddess of the Styx and she kept him trapped, wailing out in the middle of her river.

Mortals feared Cerberus. Lord Hades had chosen him to be the guardian of the Underworld, letting him patrol freely around the gates and snap up any tasty intruders, and keep the dead on this side of the river. The three-headed hound was one of Typhon and Echnida's spawn, little more than a pup when Hades decided to make them the guardian, but he'd quickly adapted to the new role. They were the indisputed leader of the hellhounds that prowled the perimeters of the Underworld, but in spite of all of this ferocity...Cerberus was laying on their one back, wriggling happily as Lady Persephone scratched at their broad side.

"Good boys! You're such good boys, yes you are!" she cooed, giving the side a pat and reaching for the discarded poplar branch with both hands. "Ready? Ready?"

Cerberus whined collectively, rolling over on their belly.

Lady Persephone was not a very powerfully-built goddess. She could have passed for an average wood nymph if she didn't have a godly glow to her bronzy, freckle-dusted skin. Her hair was a dark reddish color, her eyes a mossy green, her steps were light and her frame was very delicate and graceful. Just a little _too_ delicate to really throw the branch, which was what Thanatos found the most amusing.

In order to throw it, she had to seize it in both hands, and sort of spin in a circle to get up some momentum before letting it fly, stumbling to regain her balance while Cerberus went bounding after it happily.

That odd new goddess that moved into a cave down here recently stood beside Lady Persephone, watching with a half-smile on her lips. The hellhounds already adored her, she was something of a dog lover, Thanatos figured. What was her name again? Ah, Hecate. She seemed to have appointed herself as a guide, good, Thanatos had been introduced to Lady Persephone before, but he thought he made her uneasy.

Well, he was rather tall, even by god standards, with large black wings, and carrying a sword at his side probably didn't help.  It would be best to let Lady Persephone approach him on her own terms, as Lord Hades had figured out not long after her first...stay, with them.

Thanatos decided to leave his future mistress in Hecate and Cerberus's care. He flew straight to the palace looming over the Underworld as a towering granite structure that looked from the outside like someone had carved windows and balconies into a mountain. Which was what Lord Hades had done, actually. Thick stone walls surrounded the palace grounds to defend them from intruders. (When the Titans were trapped in Tartarus down here, Lord Hades thought they could benefit from the precaution.) Poplar trees were scattered about the grounds, as were finely carved statues and sprays of dry, gray-hued grass that didn't seem alive at all.

A tidy grove of pomegranates served as Lord Hades' garden, but by the light of strategically placed torches, Thanatos could make out artificial flowers set in a patch of earth near the grove, a garden barren of life. In the past six months, when Lord Hades wasn't occupied, he could be found sitting on a marble bench there.

Lord Hades held court whenever the judges had their hands full or the Erinyes needed guidance on what _was_ and _wasn't_ a punishable offense, primarily. Sometimes Zeus or another god would fling a mortal into the room and demand a heinous punishment be inflicted for eternity, and Hades would run his new creation by the judges and Erinyes alike to see if it was fitting enough. Ixion, the first man to kill his own kin, had been the first to receive a specialized punishment in this fashion. Not for the murder of his father-in-law, though, rather his penultimate sin had been trying to seduce Queen Hera.

(And that was why there were centaurs, who were all as ill-behaved as their forefather.)

Thanatos found Lord Hades seated on his throne, with a parchment in his hands as all fifty-nine young men still hung around. Some had decided to forgo their earthly manners and wound up sitting on the floor, bored. Others were uneasily eyeing one of the Erinyes, Tisiphone, standing close by Lord Hades as he questioned one young man about his bride.

"Hermus, for the last time, which girl was it?"

This young man, Hermus, had the cool aura of a naiad's child about him. Most nymphs and the like reverted to elements of nature after their deaths, but their children were mortal. All of the brothers had dark curly hair and similar noses, but not all of them shared the same mother, which was why some had a nature spirit's taint about them, and others were purely mortal. Hermus seemed to be a particularly unlucky young man because he couldn't recall his bride's name, and he was stammering senselessly to Lord Hades at this point, eyes locked in terror on Tisiphone's flaming whip.

"W-w-w-well, uh, y-y'see, uh, well, that is, er-I c-can't remember! Wh-what does it matter anyway, ah, my Lord? They're all murderers! Shouldn't they all pay equally regardless of who they are?"

Lord Hades' face was expressionless. "'Regardless of who they are?' You seem to forget, boy, I am Lord of the Underworld, King of the Dead, and keeper of souls. You are my subject now, no longer a prince, and you will not question my methods again or I will send you back to the bank of the Styx to think about them for a hundred years. Now which bride was it? Surely you wouldn't forget her face."

"Ah, well, see, fi-fifty sisters is a lot of pretty maidens, a-and a man can't help but notice-"

Tisiphone curled her lip, the coiled, coppery snakes that made up her hair hissing. The Erinyes were all ugly old hags with chalky, wrinkled skin, bat wings, blood red eyes, and snakes for hair. Tisiphone held domain over murders specifically, and was dressed for business in a blood red robe with a belt that resembled a snake curled around her middle. Her teeth were yellowed and sharp, set in purple gums visible to the stammering soul she sneered at, cracking her whip and sending up a shower of embers.

"Did you even get in bed with the right girl, you fool?" she snarled, and Thanatos sighed in time with Lord Hades. The Erinyes were so _dramatic_ about their duties.

Thanatos quietly approached Lord Hades' throne, bypassing the souls in the hall. He ignored the snarling crone glaring at him, and whispered to Lord Hades: "My lord, you have a visitor just arrived in the Underworld."

"Oh by the _gods_ ," he swore. "Who is it? It had better not be Zeus, or I swear I will shove him off the pier into the Styx. I've enough trouble today with men who can't remember who they last lain with." Lord Hades glared at the quivering Hermus. "She was your murderer! And your bride as well! How did you forget your own bride?"

"Uh-"

"It's Lady Persephone." Thanatos cleared his throat.

"Well it can wait just a damn mo-Forgive me, what was that?" Lord Hades rose from the throne, his dark eyes widening. "Persephone? It can't be, there's still a-Is she early?"

"That or you've lost track of time, Lord Hades." Thanatos fought to keep any amusement out of his voice. It was funny seeing Lord Hades flustered, but not at the cost of personal, bodily pain of course. He stepped back, keeping two steps behind his master as he walked at a fast clip from the throne room, leaving Tisiphone to hash out the remaining issues. Most likely literally. "She's in Hecate's company at the moment, they hadn't passed the gates yet."

Lord Hades scowled, raking a hand through his hair. "Six months I've been waiting for today, and I forget all about it. I didn't meet her at the river, her room isn't prepared, oh _damn_ , is Demeter with her?"

"No, she was alone."

"Well...small blessings, at least," Lord Hades sighed. That thought did seem to relax him a little. "Hera was down here demanding a proper ceremony some weeks ago to make things official, you may recall. Would you fly up to Olympus to remind my sister I need Hymenaeus if she wants a wedding? I can arrange everything else readily enough. And have someone reign in Cerberus, I don't want them to frighten Persephone."

Thanatos wondered if he should say something about that, but decided against it. Lord Hades was as close to panicking as Thanatos had ever seen him. It would be churlish to stir the pot, so, he went to do as he was bid.

He would rather like to have seen Lord Hades laying eyes on his bride though. It was sure to be at least as amusing as a mortal being kiss-bit by a snake.

* * *

Not even the few Persephone felt could be called true friends knew about the wedding, because she hadn't had the nerve to mention it. Mother was just furious in general, so it wasn't likely she invited anyone either. And not only did most people already believe they'd been wed, but also, Persephone had attended the marriage of Hera and Zeus when she was small. She recalled what a rowdy affair gods could make of a wedding ceremony, and she would hate to be the center of attention like that.

Better a private affair.

A wispy humanoid shape that was some sort of ghost servant eventually showed them to the rooms that were Persephone's the last time she was here. The halls were quite dark and Persephone wasn't sure she could lead the way yet, so she was grateful for the help. Even though she could see that her rooms were prepared to receive a bride, which had her stomach knotting with tension.

A small vase of pink and purple wildflowers sat on the vanity, a bride's bouquet, and a pair of delicate sandals that seemed to be woven from gold. Hecate hadn't known about the ceremony Hera mandated, and so Persephone now had at least _one_ guest attending. Moments after the ghost servant left, a handmaiden with papery skin and glassy dead eyes, though she spoke perfectly clear, arrived to announce that the wedding would begin in a few hours, just enough time to make Persephone look like a proper queen.

First, she'd been stripped of the dress that had been liberally covered by Cerberus' shed fur. Then she'd been put in a bath, once the handmaiden heard she'd been playing with the three-headed guardian, to remove the doggy-smell. The warm water was scented with flower petals, and a sweet oil was combed through her hair to make it soft and tame any frizz. Hecate wasn't left with much to do, so she wandered around poking through the room in the wardrobe and drawers. She found the dress, a rose-colored gown with an iridescence to the fabric that matched the veil in her satchel.

Once she was dry, Persephone was put in the dress and the handmaiden lightly lined her eyes with khol. A necklace of finely wrought gold and pale pink stones was hung around her neck, with matching bracelets and earrings, and a serious discussion between the handmaiden and Hecate took place about when she should fix the veil over her head. It wouldn't do to trip and fall down the stairs.

During this time, Persephone was silent, stepping into her sandals.

A glimpse in the mirror showed a beautiful young goddess, a bride, a future queen with beautiful auburn hair pinned in a waterfall of curls. It didn't show the odd, hollow ache in her belly. The emptiness that was neither fear of the next step, or anger, or grief, or...or anything. She felt nothing on her wedding day, and it was terrifying. She had never thought much about marriage before, but if she did, she had thought a wedding would be a happy occasion Not a numb one.

Eventually the veil was affixed on the ground floor of the palace so that Persephone could be led out with Hecate's assistance to the pomegranate grove. At least that's where she thought they were. She smelled them, the sweet-sour fruit that had got her into this mess.

Persephone heard more than she saw of the wedding. (It was Hymenaeus speaking, he had a deep, solemn voice that didn't match his reedy build.) And even then it felt like her head was underwater, the words muddled in her head until it came time to pledge her vows. The words felt like lead on her tongue, but afterwards...it was over. It was all over. She was now a wife, Queen of the Underworld, belonging to the man who lifted up her veil so she could see at last.

Persephone had to look up to meet the eyes of Hades. He might have been taller than Zeus, a distant part of her mind provided. He had black eyes and a sharp nose, thin lips and thick brows furrowed together. His skin was gray, threads of silver were in his black hair and neat beard, and the radiance that shone in the face of every Olympian totally absent from his, as if living here in the Underworld drained the light from him. Lines crinkled around his eyes as they narrowed at her, no pleasure or displeasure in his face at all, he was as solemn as his black robes.

This was her husband, and she had no idea how he felt about it, but she was completely at a loss on where they would go from here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The 49 dead dudes in this chapter are the husbands of the Danaids. There are 50 Danaids, daughters of Danaus, who tried fleeing the country so they wouldn't have to marry the 50 sons of Aegyptus. (Who is Danaus's brother...I don't know if it was the incest that bothered them or what, that part isn't mentioned.) The Danaids and Dad fled to Argos with the men in hot pursuit because Uncle Aegyptus was DETERMINED to have some grandchildren/grandnephews and grandnieces I guess, I dunno, and Dad didn't want a war. However, Dad gave his daughters knives and instructions to murder their husbands on their wedding night, and 49 went through with it. The only exception was Hypermenstra, who spared her husband Lycenaus because he didn't force her to, er, have a wedding night and she respected that. In my fic, Hypermenstra and Lycenaus get their happy ending version where they overthrow Danaus and become rulers of Argo. :)
> 
> (It should be mentioned that her sisters met various fates, but eventually, they all wound up in the Fields of Punishment after death, trying to fill a constantly leaking bathtub with water to wash away their murder-sins. The brothers in this story end up in the Asphodel Fields to be forgotten, Tisiphone here is just trying to get the names straight on her hit list.)
> 
> Fun fact: According to the Apollodorus list of names, ( **https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daughters_of_Danaus#Apollodorus** ) Hermus was married to a _Cleopatra_. She was the 30th Danaid on the list, but #9 was also named Cleopatra, and #34 was named _Cleodore_. I imagine Hermus was a little confused, and that Danaus ran out of names to give fifty girls.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh yeah, there's gonna be more. :)
> 
> I had this chapter finished up and tucked away before my stupid carpal tunnel thing. (One more week if I'm a good girl, ONE MORE!) I found it and decided to post it because I'm bored AND I want to share it. Really bad. Do comment please!


End file.
